10 Things to do in Tenerife

1. Farmers Market

Visit the Agromercado in Adeje. This is a farmers market where locals do their shopping. When we visited, we were the only British voices there and so it’s a great way to test your Spanish! However, if your Spanish is limited please do not be put off. We were self catering and so stocked up with a selection of fruit and vegetables for the week and cooked some tasty meals with this delicious fresh produce.

2.Loro Parque

Loro Parque is a conservation park in the usually cooler part of the island, Puerto de la Cruz. It is great for all ages and particularly good for families. There is an option to upgrade which we recommend; you can go behind the scenes, have lunch included, a guided tour and reserved seating to allow for the best views. It’s such a huge park and by doing this, we felt we made the most of our time there.

3.Candelaria

Candelaria is a lovely place to wander around. The Basilica of Candelaria is quite impressive and if you venture up the hill, you can take a lovely photo of the square. Another good thing about this place is that it has great ice-cream shops!

4. Mount Teide

Mount Teide is something not to miss. The journey there is quite long but there are lots of pretty villages to stop at along the way and pine forests which are heavily and beautifully scented (think “sauna”). You can take a cable car almost to the top and so make sure you bring a cardigan or something warmer with you as you really feel the temperature drop. You can climb the final 200m but will need a permit which you can get online in advance for free; if you are considering this do it as soon as possible as they go quickly. You can also visit at night and toast the sunset with a cool glass of cava followed by stargazing!

5.Siam Water Park

Possibly the best water park in Europe, Siam Park is great for families, couples and groups. You can relax on the Mai Thai River, collect provisions from the Floating Market, younger ones can explore the Lost City and thrill seekers can venture into darkness on The Vulcano. Get there for when the park opens to secure your locker, sunbed and head to the most popular rides first to reduce queuing times. For those travelling without children, you may want to “Ride The Night” at Siam between 8pm and 12am although prices are the same as the day ticket. If you wish to visit both Loro Parque and Siam, consider buying the mutli-park ticket.

6.Pyramids at Guimar

The Pyramids at Guimar is an historical site with a small garden of poisonous plants to look at! Uniquely, this is one of the very few places on the planet where you can witness a double sunset behind twin peaks.

7. La Oratava

La Oratava is on the way to Loro Parque and we managed to see this town and Loro Parque in one day. The main attraction is Casa de los Balcones but there are also some beautiful gardens and again, some very pretty streets to wander.

8.Poris de Abona

We ventured away from the tourists to Poris de Abona and sampled fine tapas and very inexpensive wine whilst looking out to sea. We picked a place right on the seafront at the very far end, almost hidden away. It was so tiny with just a handful of tables (pictured).

9. Dolphin and whale watching

Tenerife is known for its dolphin watching trips and so make sure you hop on board when you’re there. We chose to cruise on board the Bahriyeli and spotted lots of whales and dolphins swimming close to our boat. They had experts on board to point out named whales and let the wildlife come to them.

10. Watersports

There are also lots of Watersports on offer for the more active holidaymakers from jet skiing, parasailing, paddle boarding and of course….the banana boat! El Medano hosts national and international Kitesurfing competitions and so you may be lucky to get a good viewing spot on your trip, or, for the truly skilled, to take part.